The New York attorney general and GNC Holdings Inc. on Monday announced they reached an agreement on the retailer’s sale of herbal supplements.
GNC was one of four stores targeted by Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman this year after his office alleged that some herbal supplement products did not contain all of the ingredients listed on their labels and that others contained ingredients not on the labels. Schneiderman formed a coalition in March with the attorneys general from Connecticut, Indiana and Puerto Rico to expand the investigation of the industry.
Schneiderman said GNC agreed to reforms that include authenticating ingredients using a process known as DNA barcoding, implementing testing for common allergens, disclosing more information on the herbs or extracts used in products, and providing semiannual reports to Schneiderman’s office.
The agreement will apply to GNC’s 6,000 stores nationwide.
“I urge all herbal supplements manufacturers and retailers to join GNC in working with my office to increase transparency and put the safety of their customers first,” Schneiderman said in a statement.
In a press release, GNC said the agreement affirms that its products were in “full compliance” with regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The nutrition store said it conducted internal reviews and hired third parties to test its products.
